[Edinburgh-pm] Mapping (no GPS required)

[Murray]

So along with it soon being Edinburgh.pm's 8th birthday [1], this
Saturday (11th August) is OpenStreetMaps 3rd birthday [2].

The map for Edinburgh is coming along quite nicely:

  http://tinyurl.com/2enznm

However, if you zoom in you will notice many areas are infested with
FIXME's where road names really should be:

  http://tinyurl.com/2gc93s

So I'd like to request some of your local help.  Think of it like a
birthday present!  

= Easy Option : Print and Scribble =

* Find an area with FIXMEs you know about http://tinyurl.com/2enznm
* Print it
* Optionally walk/cycle/segway yourself around streets to confirm names
* Scribble the road names in by hand
* Give me the printout and I'll do the data entry

'cause, yes, the toolset is currently a bit painful to use.  You may be
rewarded with cake ;)

= Harder, more rewarding Option : DIY =

* Pop to openstreetmap http://tinyurl.com/2552j5
* Signup (top right)
* Return to Edinburgh  http://tinyurl.com/2552j5
* Find an area with FIXMEs you know about
* Click the Edit tab, top left
* Wait for the satellite images to load, and then the "Ways"
  (You'll eventually get lines atop the satellite images)
* Click on a "Way" (the mouse changes from a pen tip to a hand)
* Just below the Satellite images, you can enter a street name

If you click by mistake, Escape cancels.

If you don't see a "Name" field, change the
"primary/secondary/tertiary/residential/unclassified road" bit to
something else, then back again to it's original value.  You should now
have a Name field to fill in.

More help on editting via the Flash App

http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/index.php/Potlatch

and if you enjoy a bit of mild self inflicted torture and want to do
more detailed stuff there is the Java client:

http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/index.php/JOSM

Some nerdy facts it took me a while to figure out:

* The OSM map http://openstreetmap.org/ updates weekly. 
* The map at http://www.informationfreeway.org/ updates more regularly
  (note Permalink bottom right and grey text bottom left about render
  requests)
* For a little more background info:
  http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/index.php/Beginners_Guide_1.3
  http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/index.php/Beginners_Guide_1.4
 
There is also an Edinburgh Mappers party towards the end of August [3].

Murray.

[1] http://mail.pm.org/pipermail/edinburgh-pm/2007-June/000426.html
[2] http://tinyurl.com/yvbwvs
[3] http://tinyurl.com/yuhl8p